Capillary strand material



April 2, 1963 A. M. GOODLOE ETAL 3,083,952

CAPILLARY STRAND MATERIAL Filed 001.. 7, 1955 United States Patent 3,S3,52 CAPILLARY STRAND MATERIAL Alfred M. Goodloe, Westlield, and Ralf L. Hartwell, tl'ranford, N1, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Metal Textiie Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 7, 1955, Ser. No. 539,251 2 Claims. (Cl. Zeb-8%) This invention relates to contact devices for effecting contact between liquid and vapor or gas in fractionating columns, scrubbers and the like, and more particularly pertains to flexible capillary strand material from which said contact devices can be produced.

The invention contemplates provision of flexible capillary strand material of indeterminate or indefinite length formed from fine continuous filaments of metal or other non-absorptive substance; the filaments being so related in the strand formation produced therefrom as to provide spaces therebetween of such size that they will seal with the liquid being treated so as to support a capillary film of said liquid between said filaments and along the strand formation; such flexible capillary strand material being adapted to be wrought, in various ways, into cylindrical bodies of diametric size to bridge across the interior of a fractionating column or the like in stacked relation throughout the length thereof.

The filamentary constituents making up the flexible capillary strand material according to this invention can be associated in various ways to obtain the strand formation. This will be understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

HS. 1 is an elevational view of a portion of an indeterminate or indefinite length of flexible capillary strand material formed from a plurality of continuous filaments bunched together in longitudinal parallel relation; FIG. 2 is a similar view showing a flexible capillary strand formed from a plurality of contiguous longitudinally extending continuous filaments, said strand being helically twisted to hold the filaments in contiguous bunched together relation; and FIG. 3 is a similar view showing a flexible capillary strand formed from a plurality of continuous filaments bunched together in parallel longitudinal relation, about which is helically wound a giznping filament to hold the bunched filaments in contiguous relationship.

RIG. 4 is an elevational view of a portion of an indeterminate or indefinite length of flexible capillary strand material formed from a strip of knitted wire and then laterally compressed to a compacted strand formation.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a portion of an indeterminate or indefinite length of flexible capillary strand material formed from a strip of braided or woven wire and then laterally compressed to a compacted strand formation.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the flexible capillary strand formation which is provided with a succession of transverse crimps throughout its length.

Referring to the drawings, the flexible capillary strand material in one form thereof (see FIG. 1) comprises a plurality of fine continuous filaments j which are assembled together in contiguous, longitudinally extending, substantially parallel relation to form the strand body it For example, a very satisfactory flexible strand body is obtained by an assembly of twelve nickel-steel wire filaments of .0045 inch in diameter, although it will be understood a more or less number of wires or other filaments of suitable diameter can be utilized. The filaments so associated provide slight spaces therebetween which will be readily sealed by liquid contacting the strand Patented Apr. 2, 1963 of helically twisted sections t along the length of the strand 10 (see FIG. 2), or may comprise the provision of a gimping member g which is helically wound around and along the strand body (see FIG. 3).

'Another form of the flexible capillary strand according to this invention (see FIG. 4) is produced by knitting a metallic wire or other non-absorptive continuous filamerit of the approximate'diameter of .0045 of an inch, into a tubular knit formation which is then flattened into a strip s, which strip is rolled transversely upon itself into a linear body I of substantially circular cross-section. The linear body I thus provided is then drawn through a compacting die, whereby to compress the same into a relatively dense interstitial strand 11, the interstices of which are adapted to be readily sealed by liquid contacting the strand so as to support capillary films of liquid along the surface of the strand body. A similar form of the flexible capillary strand (see FIG. 5) can be similarly produced from a strip s of braided or woven fine metallic wire or other non-absorptive continuous filament, said strip s being then rolled transversely upon itself into a linear body I, and said body I being thereupon likewise drawn through a compacting die to compress the same into a relatively dense interstitial strand body 11', the interstices of which will be readily sealed by liquid contacting the strand body so as to support capillary films of the liquid along the surface of the same.

The flexible capillary strand material, in the forms thereof last above described, can also be fabricated in various ways to provide a cylindrical contact unit adapted to be inserted within the interior of a fractionating column or the like. These respective forms of the flexible capillary strand may be wound upon themselves into a convolved, substantially cylindrical contact unit. Before so winding the strand material upon itself, it is preferably crirnped to provide the same with successive small transverse serrations 0 extending along its length, said small serrations 0 being, for example, of a pitch approximating A; of an inch and of a depth approximating A of an inch. Preferably, the thus crimped strand is again crimped to provide a succession of relatively large transverse serrations c', for example, of a pitch approximating of an inch, and a depth approximating 7 of an inch. When the thus crimped flexible capillary strand is wound upon itself into a convolved, substantially cylindrical, contact unit, the crimps therein function to space adjacent convolutions thereof one from another, thereby forming, through the interior of the contact unit, a multiplicity of intercommunicating open areas which provide tortuous paths through which vapor or gas can readily traverse the contact unit or body mass, and in so doing make contact with counterflowing liquid which travels along the capillary strand portions contiguous to said paths.

Since all of the above described forms of capillary strand material are flexible and can be provided in any suitable length, any thereof can be suitably manipulated or Wrought into a contact unit, the intercommunicating open areas or interstices of which are uniformly distributed, across and upwardly through the contact unit so as to form diversely interconnecting tortuous passages which assure good through put of vapor movement in contact with counterflowing liquid which runs along and through the capillary passages or spaces of the strand per se. Since the'vapor flows through the communicating interstices or open areas of the contact unit in tortuous and intersecting paths, repeated division and recombination of vapor streams occurs, thereby efiiciently promoting thorough mixing of the vapor. The liquid similarly flows along the capillary strand material until it reaches points where two portions of the latter touch each other, at which points part of the liquid may leave one strand portion and transfer to the other strand portion, whereby the liquid streams are also repeatedly divided and recombined with other streams, thereby assuring thorough mixing of the liquid.

Inasmuch as variations in the form of the flexible capillary strand material may be made without departing from the principles of this invention, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited except by the scope of the herefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A flexible capillary strand of indefinite but great length adapted to be wrought into a contact unit for use in vapor and liquid contact apparatus, said strand comprising a mesh strip fabricated from fine continuous filamentary material rolled transversely upon itself into a linear body, and said linear body being laterally compressed to form a relatively dense contact material, the interstices of which are adapted to be readily sealed by liquid contacting said material, whereby to support capillary films along the surface of said material, said strand being crimped to provide the same with a succession of transverse serrations along the length thereof.

2. A flexible capillary strand of indefinite but great length adapted to be wrought into a contact unit for use in vapor and liquid contact apparatus, said strand comprising a mesh strip fabricated from fine continuous filamentary material rolled transversely upon itself into a linear body, and said linear body being laterally com pressed to form a relatively dense contact material, the interstices of which are adapted to be readily sealed by liquid contacting said material, whereby to support capillary films along the surface of said material, said strand being crimped to provide the same with a succession of transverse small serrations along the length thereof and having another succession of superposed transverse large serrations along the length thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 437,902 Herder Oct. 7, 1890 452,103 Harris May 12, 1891 459,462 Smith Sept. 15, 1891 1,692,627 Clark Nov. 20, 1928 1,976,491 Gottscholk Oct. 9, 1934 2,029,994 Fabel Feb. 4, 1936 2,226,792 Walters Dec. 31, 1940 2,376,039 Driscoll et a1. May 15, 1945 2,583,769 Gaugler Jan. 29, 1952 2,615,832 Dixon Oct. 28, 1952 2,702,460 Gaugler Feb. 22, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 912,201 Germany May 28, 1954 1,043,959 France June 17, 1953 

1. A FLEXIBLE CAPILLARY STRAND OF INDEFINITE BUT GREAT LENGTH ADAPTED TO BE WROUGHT INTO A CONTACT UNIT FOR USE IN VAPOR AND LIQUID CONTACT APPARATUS, SAID STRAND COMPRISING A MESH STRIP FABRICATED FROM FINE CONTINUOUS FILAMENTARY MATERIAL ROLLED TRANSVERSELY UPON ITSELF INTO A LINEAR BODY, AND SAID LINEAR BODY BEING LATERALLY COMPRESSED TO FORM A RELATIVELY DENSE CONTACT MATERIAL, THE INTERSTICES OF WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO BE READILY SEALED BY LIQUID CONTACTING SAID MATERIAL, WHEREBY TO SUPPORT CAPILLARY FILMS ALONG THE SURFACE OF SAID MATERIAL, SAID STRAND BEING CRIMPED TO PROVIDE THE SAME WITH A SUCCESSION OF TRANSVERSE SERRATIONS ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF. 